Covering her work in chronological order, Martinez opened the show with 'Cry Baby' as she rose on a platform, a crib flickering on the screen behind her and surrounded by dancers dressed in bunny heads, before transitioning into the haunting hit 'Dollhouse'. For the first act of the show, pyrotechnics and fireworks sparkled across the stage during 'Carousel' as Martinez rode a two-headed bunny, then at the end again after 'Mad Hatter' where her toy bedroom was set ablaze and the show transitioned from the chilling childlike ambience of her debut album to the pastel pinks and blues of her second act, 'K-12'. Here, Martinez reinforced her position of power as an established artist to speak about the genocide of Palestinians: signs that read “end the occupation”, “fuck colonisation”, and “your silence won't protect you” played on the screen during 'The Principal', a pointed song about leaders abusing their authority.
Following flashing red strobe lights, stretchers, and lunchboxes, Martinez’s alter-ego Cry Baby was shot dead by a Cupid figure, and as she was laid to rest. We emerged into the astral realm of the otherworldly, ethereal 'PORTALS' where Martinez donned her four-eyed, pink-skinned mask to perform 'DEATH' in front of a mushroom carved with the words "RIP Cry Baby". Martinez wielded a sword and slayed a digitalised pink dragon during 'BATTLE OF THE LARYNX' and danced amongst pyrotechnics during the sharp and biting 'EVIL' before closing the show with 'WOMB', where butterfly confetti decorated a screaming audience. After complimenting Manchester as a “cute fucking city” and shouting "Free Palestine" with the crowd, the artist and her team of dancers left.
Melanie Martinez truly delivered a theatrical and delicious spectacle—not only with her expressional and gorgeous outfits designed by Pipenco Lorena and transforming hairstyles by William Scott Blair—but by presenting a surreal performance packed with effortless vocals which were nothing short of what you’d expect from an utterly phenomenal artist. The day itself is carved into every inch of my memory, so thank the goddess for healing a major part of my inner child. A lot of tears were shed.
